COLUMBIA, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Dale Shepherd has watched Missouri football from the best seat in the house for 52 years.
The 80-year-old Mizzou graduate has served on the chain crew at Faurot Field since 1972, marking downs and distances at home games. His longevity on the sidelines has made him a fixture at Tiger football games.
Shepherd’s dedication to the Tigers has become a family affair. His son-in-law, Mike, joined the chain crew in 1993, learning the job from Shepard. The tradition continues with Shepherd’s grandson Ryan, who also works on the crew.
In five decades on the sidelines, Shepherd has witnessed Missouri football history, including moments fans would rather forget.
“The fifth down. Unfortunately, it happened,” Shepherd said, referring to the controversial 1990 game against Colorado.
ADVERTISEMENT
His favorite Tiger head coach was Gary Pinkel, who led the program for 15 years.
The job comes with occupational hazards. After more than 30 years without incident, Shepherd finally got hit during a game.
“I had mentioned before the game that I’d been doing this over 30 years and had never been hit. And guess what happened?” Shepherd said. “I got nailed.”
The chain crew was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2021, with some calling them the best in the SEC.
Beyond football sidelines, Shepherd spent over 30 years as a high school teacher at Parkway West, where he coached cross-country and track. He guided the Longhorns to two state titles and 19 straight state meet team appearances, accumulating more than 1,400 victories.
ADVERTISEMENT
Shepherd retired from coaching in 2018 but continues practicing what he taught his runners about fitness.
He plans to continue working at Missouri home games, supported by his family’s involvement in the tradition he started more than five decades ago.
Copyright 2025 KMOV. All rights reserved.